Nitrites wont go away

[bobbi619]

Hi all,

I've had the 55 cycling for 5 weeks today, Nitrites showed up 2 weeks ago and I'm adding Ammonia daily to bring it to 2-3 ppm. Nitrates are about 10, pH is a steady 7.8 in both tanks and I have robbed bacteria from the 29 gal.

What would cause this cycle to take so darn long, am I doing something wrong, and why do you think the Nitrites wont fall off?

:sad

[mayreee]

My tank just got finished cycling 2 days ago. The nitrites took about 3 weeks or more to go down.

[daveedka]

The nitrite process as compared to the ammonia process is slower, but when it starts it grows very quickly. With ammonia, we see a slow decline in levels for a few days which builds to rapid consumption. With nitrite it has been my experience that you see no change for 2-3 weeks and then it suddenly all dissapears. I would give it at least one more week, with the ph listed, you should be in good shape, just needs a little more time.
dave

[bobbi619]

Thanks Dave.......I'm really trying to be patient, just tired of the empty tank, and I really want to get rid of the 29 gal. That is just what I needed to hear.

I'll let you all know when its done, maybe it will help others with their wait.

:o

[OnyxFishies]

Basically a ditto post:

I've got three tanks, one new and two cycled. The two that are cycled took about 10 days to show zero ammonia, (and stayed that way) and about another 5 weeks to show zero nitrites... I had almost given up on cycling one of em, I though something was blocking the bacteria that turn nitrites into nitrates.

Long story short, for both I didn't notice any drop in nitrites at all, one day nitrites were present, a few days later none.

[Milky]

are you thinking of adding the
fish from you 29 gal into the
55 gal ? or getting new fish :p

[bobbi619]

I plan to transfer all fish to the 55 and get some new also. I just hope my bottom dwellers do ok with the move. I know they have their territories. I made sure to have plenty of caves & plants in the new tank.

[anonapersona]

If you are moving all the fish, why didn't you move the gravel and decor and filters and skip cycling all together? Or run a new filter on the old tank and get it well seeded that way?

Ammonia cycling makes sense if you are concerned about maintaining sterility of the new tank -- if you have suspected disease in the other tank and will keep separate equipment for each, but if you are moving the fish, particularly all the fish, it surely could have been done faster by moving the whole tank.

[bobbi619]

Wanted to start fresh, new filter deco, and gravel. I'm running only a Penguin 170 in the 29 gal. My sister in-law who doesnt have a tank wants the 29 so I will give it all to her ready to go.

I did use a couple plants from the 29 though, and I used a handful of gravel with a snip from the filter sponge, thinking that would speed up this cycle in the 55.

I am running out of patience that I never had much to begin with anyway. :thud: